2007 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
Framing terrorism. Good versus evil? (hyperlink to UU thesis database)
Media have the potential to provide multiple sides to every story, and in this research television news and weblogs are assessed – by means of a Habermasian informed perspective – on the realization of this potential in the news framing of what has been labeled as ‘Jihadist’ terrorism. More specifically, the framing of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and attackers by CNN USA and Al-Jazeera are compared with the framing of these attacks and their attackers in the blogosphere of the North-American and ‘Arab’ world. Throughout the analysis, I will demonstrate that processes of ‘Othering’ are at play in both TV and online news. The impact on the global flow of news as a result of the establishment of Al-Jazeera as a new dialogue partner for ‘Western’ mainstream news media will be analyzed. Subsequently, the understudied (war)-blogosphere will be theoretically examined by taking into account its institutional nexuses and actual user-generated (war)blogging content on the topic of ‘9/11’.

Master thesis.
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler. Second reader: Dr. Ingrid Hoofd
Graded: 8.5/10

2007 During RMA Media Studies @ National University of Singapore Communications and New Media Progr.
Representing terrorism
By looking at ‘Western’ mass medial representation of jihadist terrorism, I dove under the
surface to have an exploratory look at the massive body of ice that was connected to the top of
the iceberg: the growing disparity between ‘the Western non Islamic world’ and ‘the Eastern
Islamic world’ caused by Jihadist terror. Even though, according to Tilly (2004; 7), history
shows that there is an overall downward trend of international terrorist attacks observable,
terrorism remains and is maybe even increasingly publicized in ‘Western’ mainstream media.
To frame representation of terrorism, this paper briefly introduced several key characteristics
of terrorism. By analyzing terrorism as a discursively constructed performance through an
ascending analysis of power as described by Foucault (1980; 99), I aimed to gain better
understanding of one of the reasons of the general mechanism at play: the distancing of the
‘Muslim’ and the ‘non-Muslim’ world.
(Excerpt taken from conclusions, page 11).

Written for the course Advanced Theories in Communications and New Media
Supervised by Dr. Ingrid Hoofd
Graded: A+

2007 During RMA Media Studies @ National University of Singapore Communications and New Media Progr.
Exploring cyberterrorism
This paper aimed to lay bare the fragility of the metaphorical invisible global information grids. The proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICT’s) has created a wealth of misusable socio-technical structures. The ambiguous control over and on information flowing through these information grids is studied by looking at terrorist exploitation of ICT’s by means of an ascending analysis of power under the heading of a discursive notion of cyberterrorism.
(Excerpt taken from conclusions, page 17).

Written for the course Independent studies
Supervised by Dr. Milagros Rivera
Graded: A

2006 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
Children on the mobile. An exploration of playful identity formation. (.pdf / 392 kb)
Jos De Mul recently constructed a triad of ludic self-construction elements (2005). This macro-level conceptual-philosophical framework can be coupled with micro-level identity formation processes by analyzing the workings and usage of specific mediating settings and elements. In this paper, it is chiefly used to investigate whether mobile telephone usage can also be interpreted and understood from a ludic perspective by looking how it greases the wheels for ludic behavior of within the childhood of its users.

Written for the course Wireless future
Supervised by Dr.J.F.F.Raessens & Drs. Imar de Vries
Graded: 8.0/10

2006 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
Entertainment & museums, a troublesome relationship? (.pdf / 453 kb)

When observing our culture, we can note that amusing or entertaining elements are more and more accepted within domains in which these were formerly absent and were also believed to be unfitting and or unwanted.
In their bestseller The Experience Economy, Pine and Gilmore state that experience bearing entertainment has exploded to encompass many, many experiences. An illustrious object to investigate this phenomenon can be the experience based museum. In this paper, the Dutch Railway Museum is case-studied. Seel’s 1996 article “zur asthetischen Praxis der Kunst” is used as a starting point. It was found that the introduction of entertainment can very well lure visitors into the museum, but in the meanwhile, while doing so, the museums distinctive positioning within, among and in service of society is damaged.

Written for the course Media & entertainment
Supervised by Dr. Eggo Müller

2006 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
Playful identity formation. An inventory of its theory and practise (.pdf / 481 kb)

Jos De Mul recently constructed a triad of ludic self-construction elements (2005). This paper evaluates the theory of playful identity formation by making an inventory of its theory and practise. At first, the practicality of the notion was studied by testing its applicability when incorporating the Uses and Gratifications approach. Second, the theory building of ludic identity formation, in line with Dilthey´s hermeneutical understanding which is based on studying external manifestations in order to grasp internal substance, was shown to be understandable as a top-down approach. It was argued that, in line with Foucault´s methodological precaution of ascending analysis of power, operationalization problems can arise when working according to these procedures. This was further illustrated by investigating the theory as a super theory and paradigm and its inherent restricting functioning.

Written for the course Computer games
Supervised by Dr.J.F.F.Raessens
Graded: 7.0/10

2005 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
Neutral Acting The Opacity of the Internet. Opening up the black box of the Internet (.pdf/ 170kb)

Ever since the half of the 20th century, computers and their interconnections have penetrated our society and our personal environments. The black box metaphor as it is applied in this paper is begotten from the Actor network theory. The comparison between cyberspace as a public sphere and as a panoptic network is done chiefly by making use of this theory. Concluding I stated that the Internet is an opaque network, since it continues to be neither transparent nor translucent. On the one hand the functioning of the network remains widely black boxed or taken for granted while de-neutralizing actors shape communication implicitly and on the other hand, internalization is targeted by highlighting and emphasizing some of the de-neutralizing actors which are at work at another level.

Written as for the course Media Theory
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler
Graded: 8.0/10

2005 During research MA programme Media Studies / Utrecht University / Research institute history and culture
McLuhanism from a Diltheyan perspective. An exploration through the field of media studies (.pdf/ 171 kb)

The heterogeneity in the backgrounds of the originators of media studies brought along diverseness within the constituted field. Its multifariousness can raise doubt on the positioning of the discipline media studies within the academe. This article focusses on the position of media studies within the academe by taking into account Marshall McLuhan’s conceptualization of media and it’s interlard within later formulated media theory. The wide inner coherence as well as its broad positioning within the academe can be illustrated in this way.

Written as for the course Fundamentals of the Humanities
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk and Assistant Prof. Joost Raessens.
Graded: 7.5/10

2005 During Bachelor communication and information studies / Utrecht University
Exploring pedophilia: a pragmatic inventory of the pedophilic discourse observed from a digital media perspective (.pdf / 864 kb)

By means of an exemplary, explorative investigation into pedophilia, a complex array of discourses are unfolded. Utilizing the vocabulair of Foucault and termini begotten from the actor-network theory, a pragmatic inventory of the network of the self-defined implicit, explicit, hidden and resurfacing pedophilic discourses was conducted. Focussing on the network from a digital media perspective, exploitation of a technological democracy by pedophiles is looked into. It was found that a rational, synthetic understanding of the explored discourses will be needed in order to create a possible hindrance for online pedophilic justification and children molestation processes.

Written as final thesis for the bachelor Communication and Information Studies.
Supervised by Mirko Schaeffer, phd student
Graded: 9/10

2004 During Bachelor communication and information studies / Utrecht University
Habermas and the phenomenon of P2P filesharing (.pdf / 302 kb)

Written for the course Philosophy and ICT - Utrecht University
Supervised by Imar de Vries
Graded: 9/10

Een noodlanding! Wat nu? Over de universele en cultureel-specifieke kenmerken van Passenger Safety Briefing Cards (.pdf / 5,26 mb)

In het kader van Tekst en Beeld - Utrecht University
Begeleid door Jan ten Thije
Co-auteur: Sanne van de Grift
Beoordeelt met een: 9/10.

(in dutch)
Habermas en het fenomeen P2P. Kazaa Lite K++ als portal tot een nieuwe digitale publieke sfeer. (.pdf / 247 kb)

In het kader van Filosofie van de ICT - Utrecht University
Begeleid door Imar de Vries
Beoordeelt met een: 9/10.

(in dutch)
P2P-Activism. Kazaa Lite K++ als portal tot het postmoderne landschap. (.pdf / 246 kb)

In het kader van New Media, New Citizinship - Utrecht University
Begeleid met Marianne van den Boomen
Co-auteurs:
Daan van Eek
Marije Janssen
Hans Sanders


(in dutch)
Het peer-to-peer downloaddiscours. Een nadere kijk op de constituerende werking van de Kazaa Lite K++ peer-to-peer omgeving. (.pdf / 258 kb)

In het kader van Nieuwe media en participatie
Co-auteurs:
Daan van Eek
Stijn Frantzen
Hans Sanders

How can we continue seeing ourselves as pornographic beings and digital networks in an age of cultural excess and warfare? One of the main reasons why there is lack of committed scholarship on netporn is its association with crime and punishment. As a result of media mystification of the facts about the rise of porn industries, the rise of child pornography and paedophilia, there have been new waves of censorship with repercussions in the arts and academia. Progressive individuals and institutions may believe that dialogues on open sexuality and the politics of porn are no longer needed in the 21st century, but recent events and testimonies have proved us wrong. For instance, after the murder on Theo Van Gogh and his provocative use of female nudity in Submission I, it has become clear that there is a need for public debate on sex/porn culture and intolerance or freedom of expression.

As pornography and sex services are globally more available to web and mobile phone users, specific cultures and web users are indeed more actively being surveilled by ISP's, or censored by nation-state governments. From the recent closure of chat rooms and cyber cafés, to massively government-funded operations on p2p networks and net predators, we will have an open debate on the dark side of the netporn economy, arguing as a support network to the perilous state of free speech in art and porn/sex research.

Presentations:
Shu Lea Cheang: 'Milk or No Milk Today?'
Adam Zaretsky: ‘Why I Want to Fuck E. O. Wilson: The Sociobiology of Netporn’
Koen Leurs: 'Exploring Paedophilia: a pragmatic inventory of the paedophilic discourse observed from a digital media perspective'
Katrien Jacobs: 'Porn Browsing: Habits Within the Profession'

2007
Interview:
"Koen Leurs, cum laude geslaagd voor Media Studies.
Onderzoek naar beeldvorming aanvallen 11 september
goed ontvangen"
Graafsche Courant, 7 nov 2007, p. 20.
Link: 315 kb (.jpg)

Master thesis:
"Framing Terrorism. Good versus Evil?"
Igitur Thesis Database
Utrecht University Library

2006
Article:
"Exploring Pedophilia. An inventory of the pedophilic
discourse from a media studies perspective"
Blik, tijdschrift voor audiovisuele media
Utrecht University, the Netherlands

Interview:
"Eindwerkstuk over internetpedofilie:
wetenschap nog niet klaar voor serieus onderzoek"
Geestdrift, Facultair magazine voor Letteren, september
Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Link: 1.120 kb (.pdf)

Published online reviews:
Lev Manovich: “Variable Media” [3/11/2006, V2, Rotterdam, The Netherlands]
Impakt: van RAF tot Hofstad [11/09/2006, 't Hoogt, Utrecht, The Netherlands]

2005
Magzine Cover for Utrecht University faculty of Arts Magazine Geestdrift

(click image for bigger version)

Published photograph in book Living Library



Beek, Mareijke (eds). Living Library: Wiel Arets University Library Utrecht. Prestel Publishing, 2005.

Teaching:
2008
History and theory of new media - Undergraduate course (Convenor: Dr. Thomas Poell)

2007
Spaces of (new) media - Master course (Convenor: Dr. Sybille Lammes)
Knowledge, Arts and Society - Undergraduate course (Convenor Prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk)
History and theory of new media - Undergraduate course (Convenor: Dr. Thomas Poell)

2006
History and theory of new media - Undergraduate course (Convenor: Dr. Thomas Poell)

Followed courses:
Media Studies Research Master Programme:

2006-2007
Master Thesis (UU / NUS) Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler & Dr. Ingrid Hoofd

Advanced Theories of Communication and New Media (NUS) Dr. Ingrid Hoofd
Independent study - Cyberterrorism (NUS) Dr. Milagros Rivera
State & Civil Society in the Information Age (NUS) Dr. T.T. Sreekumar
Governance and Information Technology (NUS) Dr. William Hioe

2005-2006
Fractured Citizenship - The Transformation of the Networked Global Public Sphere Prof. Dr. Christina Slade
Research seminar Media Culture Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler
Individual Assignment - the Experience Economy Dr. Judith Thissen
State of the Art in Media Studies Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler
Computer Games Dr. Joost Raessens
Research Design Prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk
The Wireless Future. On the Cultural Impact of Mobile Telecommunication Drs. Imar de Vries
Fundamentals of the Humanities Prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk
Research seminar Media Theory Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler

Bachelor of Communications and Information Studies Programme:
2004-2005
BA thesis project
Visual culture: architecture and the city / level 2-B /
Practicum new media / level 2-B /
Introduction to environmental studies / level 1-A /
Environment, society and policy / level 2-B /
Introduction to social geography / level 1-A /
Cultural geography of the netherlands / level 2-B /
Geography and communication / level 3-C /

2003-2004
Gender etnicity and culture critics / level 2-B /
Media, culture and society / level 2-B /
Repertoir of film, television and new media / level 2-B /
New media, new citizinship / level 3-C /
Participation and network cultures / level 3-C /
Philosophy of the ICT / level 3-C /
Media-education / level 3-C /
New media and law / level 2-B /
Who's who in mythology / level 1-A /
Who's who in the bible / level 1-A /
Text and image / level 3-C /

2002-2003
Introduction to communication and information studies / level 1-A /
Image, sound: theory and analysis / level 1-A /
Instruction and persuasion / level 1-A /
History of the media landscape / level 1-A /
History and theory of the new media / level 1-A /
Text & discourse / level 2-B /
Imaginary principles I / level 1-A /
Communication within academia / level 1-A /
Cultural criminology / level 1-A /

2005

Drawings